Flexible jaw chuck



E. J. KRUPP 2,483,2Q8

FLEXIBLE JAW CHUCK Sept. 27, 1949.

Filed March 10, 1947 IN V EN TOR.

ERNEST J KRUPP BY TTOR NEY A Patented Sept. 27, 1949 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE,

seam r I JAW" i Krupp,- East ire-trait; Mich:- Ap iieetiefi 10, 191i,seriai Ne. itiete 1 This invention relates to chucks and particularlychucks having jaws flei iible to and from the an object or the inventionis to equip a flexible aw ithiik with a simple provision for flexing theto recisely the same extent and thiis aceurateiy establishing a chuckedwere piece or tool at the chuck axis.

Another object is to provide a flexible jaw chuck having its jaws seoperable that the operator may nicely regulate the gripping pressureapplied to a chucked work piece or tool;

Another object is to provide a flexible jaw chuck in which the jaws haveonly'a slight range of flexure; there being a provision however forgripping parts of widely varying diameter.

Another object is to mount a nomfiexible collar on a set of flexiblechuck jaws in it surrounding relation to such jaws; and to induce auniform inward flexure of the several jaws by a reaction set up betweenone of the jaws and the collar.

Another object is to equip a chuck having an odd number of flexible jawswith a cal'iperin'g tooth diametrically opposed to one of said jaws.

These and various other objects are attained by the constructionhereinaiter described and illustrated in the seawater-lying drawing,wherein sectionally showing a mounting fer the chuck.

Fig. 2 is an axiai sectional view or the chuck, taken on the line 2--2of Fig 1.

lf'i'g; 8 is a front end view of the chuck; in partial section.

Fig. 4 is a partial front view showing installation of a caliperingtooth.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross section, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

In these views, the reference character I designates an annular bodyhaving an exterior annular flange 2 at one end, and formed with aplurality of radial slots 3 (of which there are preferably three)extending from its other end. Jaws 4, formed by and between said slots,have a slight inward flexibility. It is preferred to extend said slotsand jaws almost to the flange 2, the reinforcing effect of the flangerendering such extent feasible. The free end portions of the jaws arereduced in diameter both exteriorly and interiorly and have radialgrooves 5 opening in their interior and end faces. These grooves snuglyreceive gripping teeth 5, formed preferably as rectangular plateselongated lengthwise of the chuck. Each such tooth is normally clampedin Fig. 1 is s we plan view of as iifiiirovd steer,

t chime. (or: was) its fodi ei sy stir erserews 1 set; into thecorresponding jaw and acting on the tooth tliftiiigh seeingthis 8.

reer-y sentencing the ff' iidportions of the jaws is 2 mg 9iiioiiiitirig a radial l0 en'- gag ng one of the jaws and furthermountiiig a pair of rollers {1-,- eaeh engaging one of the other jaws:The germs of engagement of saidscrew aria illr's With the j aw's' areereferam y in i dial planes meeting we jaws, the ring hai ng slots l2receiving the rollers aiid the Keir-re eateries-1y fanned with anannular groove l3 wherein said screw and rollers seat; The of therollers are parallel to the (Sh-116k a xi's', thus adapting the rail-ersfor a slight fdll ingtrav'l circumferential to the corresponding jaws.The screw this rotatable" by a suitable handle M, which may beset int''either or two transverse diametriba-l thickets l5 i'nthe outer eiid thescrew. The prbvision of a slight clearance between the ring a and thechuck jaws is vital, since the ring must undergo a slight travel acrossthe eh-utk d'ii's;

While said chuck may be variously mounted, its flanged end is sh-(ma inFig; 1- seated against anadaptr l6 and clamped to such adapter by boltsll engaging a ring "3' seating on the flange 2: The adapter is cariiedand driven by a spindle l9 which may be an element "of any suitablemachine tool, as a grinding machine or'lathei Figs; 4 and 5 Show acallpei'in'g tooth 20 adapt ed tobe secured to arid to project inwardlyfrom one er the-jaws in diametrieal opposition to one of "the teeth 6;when the capacity of the teeth is to be measured. Said calipering toothoccupies one of the slots 3 and is clamped to its supporting jaw by aplate 2| and screw 22.

The described chuck is adapted to very accurately establish a piece ofwork or a tool at the chuck axis in a quite simple manner. In order thatthe jaws undergo equal flexure, when the screw I 0 is tightened againstone jaw, it is essential to afi'ord a slight anti-frictioncircumferential travel of the points of engagement of the other two jawsby the ring, since the ring has a slight bodily movement across thechuck axis, responsive to said screw. In absence of the roll ers II oran equivalent, flexure of the screw-engaged jaw would materially exceedthat imposed on the other jaws. Provision of the groove l3 in the jawsto receive the screw and rollers, prevents escape of the ring 9 from thejaws or shifting of such ring from its proper mounting on the jaws. Toadapt the described chuck to various diameters of tools or work pieces,various sets of the teeth 6 may be provided, difl'ering in their 7allelism with the chuck axis and forming a set of radially flexiblejaws, a ring surrounding such jaws, means carried by said ring forapplying a pressure, directed substantially toward the chuck axis, toone of said jaws, and means .for transmitting pressure actingsubstantially toward the chuck axis from the ring to each of the otherjaws, said means including elements adapted to rotate about axessubstantially parallel to the chuck axis. I

2. A chuck as set forth in claim 1, said means for applying pressure-toone of the jaws being a screw mounted substantially radially in saidring.

3. A chuck as set forth in claim 1, the chuck jaws being exteriorlyformed with an annular groove, wherein said means'for applying pressm'eand said means for transmitting pressure take efiect on the jaws.

4. In a chuck as set forth in claim 1, a gripping tooth detachablymounted on and inwardly projecting from each of the jaws, the medialradial planes of said teeth and jaws being substantially coincident.

5. A chuck comprising an annular body having a plurality ofsubstantially equidistant slots extending from one of its ends insubstantial parallelism with the chuck axis and forming a set ofradially flexible jaws, aring surrounding such jaws, means carried bysaid ring for applying a pressure, directed substantially toward thechuck axis, to one of said jaws, and rollers rotatable in said ringabout axes substantially parallel to the chuck axis and bearingrespectively on the respective other jaws for transmitting pressure,acting substantially toward the chuck axis, from the ring to said otherjaws.

6. A chuck comprising an annular body having a plurality ofsubstantially equidistant slots extending from one of its ends insubstantial'parallelism with the chuck axis and forming aset of at leastthree radially flexible jaws, a ring surrounding such jaws, meanscarried by said ring for applying a pressure, directed substantiallytoward the chuck axis, to one of said jaws, and means for subjecting theseveral jaws to equal components of said applied pressure.

7. A chuck comprising an annular body having a plurality ofsubstantially equidistant slots extending from one of its ends insubstantial parallelism with the chuck axis and forming a setbf'lradially flexible jaws, each jaw being formed in its inner 'face'with a radial groove extending in parallelism with the chuck axis, agripping tooth set into each such groove and inwardly projecting fromthe corresponding jaw, a ring surrounding such jaws, means carried bysaid ring forapplying a pressure, directed substantially toward thechuck axis, to one of said jaws, and

means for transmitting pressure acting substantially toward the chuckaxis from the ring to each of the other jaws, said means includingelements adapted to rotate about axes substantially parallel to thechuck axis. 1

8. A chuck comprising an annular body, slotted lengthwise from an endthereof and thereby forming an odd number of radially flexible jaws,means for flexing said jaws inwardly to the same extent, a grippingtooth carried by and inwardly projecting from each jaw, and. acalipering tooth detachably carried by one of said jaws in adiarlneglically opposed-relation to one of said gripping 9. A chuckcomprising an annular body having a plurality of substantiallyequidistant slots extending from one of its ends in substantialparallelism withthe chuck axis and forming a set of radially flexiblejaws, aring surrounding such jaws, the interior diameter of said ringmaterially exceeding the exterior diameter of the jaws, means carriedbysaid ring for applying a pressure, directed "substantially toward thechuck axis, to one of said jaws, and means for transmitting pressureacting substantially toward the chuck axis from the-ring to each of theother jaws, said means including elements adapted to rotate about axessubstantially parallel to the chuck axis.

ERNEST J. KRUPP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date

